see that an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment should be carried out before anyone tells you to pay for care – and before you pay a penny in care fees

understand why a Mental Capacity Assessment may be needed

Sadly it’s not unusual for ‘assessments’ to be carried out without the family’s proper involvement – and indeed the wrong assessments at that. Read more about care assessments.

Keep in mind the key point that it is not a person’s money or assets that determine whether they pay for care; it is their health and care needs ONLY.

So don’t be put off by anyone who tells you have to sell the house to pay for care – or that you always have to pay for care if you have savings. The only way to know if you have to pay for care is for your health needs to be assessed – not your money. Be sure to read this vital information about care fees before you agree to pay anything.

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12 Comments

Hi I was in full time employment but three months ago I moved back into my mums house. My mum has dementia later stages and is 71 she owns the house. I’m worried that social services might want to sell the house where I also live. When my mums condition deteriorates and she needs residential care home can the property be sold to fund her needs. I could lose my job in 12 months if I don’t return very worried

This is quite a story. My father of 81 was locked out of his home (jointly owned)by his 80 year old wife and sat in the ambulance until police came, returned him via ambulance to the hospital and from there was referred to social services who placed him in a care home for 7 weeks. Now, I haven’t been in contact with my father or he me due to circumstances when he turned up knocked on the door and there was this frail old man who is my father. My husband and I in complete shock and to be honest thought he hasn’t long for this world which gives you an idea on his health and mental state. It is a long sordid tale one his wife has to live with without rest, I am desperate to get help for him she has taken £11,ooo out of the account as half hers and now keeping all belongings. What I urgently need to know is he received a bill for the first care home of £1500, he is now in another care home pending finding somewhere permanent. I am not aware of any assessment everything is vague from social services. The house is joint ownership as the moment. What should I be looking out for or asking about as in costs so far. Thanks

My mother in law was taken into care after being discharged from hospital. We were initially advised that it was for respite until her mobility improved. 3 mths later a best interests meeting was held and the made the decision that she would stay their permenantly.
They said there would be a 12 wk property disregard as she owned her own home the she would need to start paying towards her care.
Unfortunately she passed away in January and the local authority have now sent an invoice for over £27,000 to pay for the rest of her care fees and are expecting for her house to be sold to pay it.
We are not aware that anyone had authority to do this as no power of attourney or court of protection was in place and to our knowledge she was never assessed for continuing health care.
Please can you advise if we would be able to contest this invoice and clarify if she should have been assessed to have her care fees paid for.
Thanks in advance

My parents are currently having to fund my father’s care (in a residential home) and we are about to appeal against a negative outcome for the NHS Continuing Healthcare. When they run out of money, how far back will the local authority be allowed to scrutinise my parents accounts?

My mum has her own flat. But she had massive stroke. I care for her at my home, she is peg feed. She can’t do anything for her self . I get four hours respite per week . My bedroom is stored at my mum’s and of course all her belongings. Now council want her to pay for her own care five hundred pounds per week. Can the care be removed?

My father has had to go into a care home following a stroke and unable to continue at home , having frequent falls . He is self funding but is their any funding that he can have , he still has his property and does have savings , surely he must be able to claim for something . I would be grateful for any advise this is all new to us and thought it would be worth enquiring.

My father in law has failing eyesight and has care at home which is paid for.
My mother in law has just left hospital (3 weeks) after a fall at home. She has been diagnosed with cancer and whilst she has interim care we are sure they will be better off in a nursing home or similar.
Will they have to pay for this?

My Mother has been assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare and is now in a nursing home, but we have to pay a topup of £175.00 per week. She has a bungalow which is empty so if we sell it now will she be liable for paying back Pensions credits or previous social care fees?

Eleanor – you mentioned that your mother has been assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare but that you’re paying a top up. Did she get thorough the assessment process? i.e. is she actually receiving the funding now? If so, you shouldn’t be paying top ups at all; these are only for social care.

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Step-by-step e-book

Many people find this e-book a cost-effective starting point: How To Get The NHS To Pay For Care.

It takes you step-by-step through the whole NHS Continuing Healthcare process, right from the start, including how to approach the NHS, what should (and shouldn’t) happen, the pitfalls to avoid, what to do and say before, during and after an assessment, what’s right and what’s not, how to challenge decisions, how to pull apart the NHS’s assessment notes, etc.

It gives you a firm understanding of the process and lots of useful and practical information.

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All content on the Care To Be Different website is copyright Continuing Care Solutions Ltd.

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